Few questions:

First off, it's been a LONG time since I've been around here.
I first came on here because my ex had an '89 Spirit.
Now I have my own Dodge to enjoy.

I have a '92 Dakota Sport that just got picked up as a replacement for my previous transportation, a '94 Chevy Cavalier VL.

I LOVE IT!
I only have one small irritation with the truck itself.
Boy, that clutch is touchy! After only driving an MT once or twice a week tops for over a month, and usually driving an automatic (YUCK! No disrespect, but I have a strong hatred of autos. Then again, I've watched one after another well-maintained auto grenade itself for no good reason) that clutch is a bear to get used to. First drive with it, I spun the tires turning around in the driveway, and kicked 'em loose at the end of the driveway.

There are a few little problems, though...

1:
Gas gauge reads as empty... every time, all the time.
Tonight, I'll be fiddling with the electrical box in the engine bay, the fuse panel... I see a few possibilities:
A. Bad gauge, which means "hello new instrument cluster, goodbye $20-$50 or more,
depending on how greedy the junkyard owner happens to be.
B. Bad or shorted wiring. Whether there's a short in the wiring to the pump/sending unit, or elsewhere, that could do it.
C. ID10T user error. Previous owner did some... "Repairs" on it... I'll let you in on those in a moment.
D. Pump and/or sending unit is shot.
E. Bad fuse or something somewhere, or a malfunctioning component in the electrical system.

That is a LOT to check out...

2:
Rust hole in the driver's side floorboard, right about a cab mount. YAY! (NOT!)
Fortunately, dad and I have done some looking. Providing nothing that can be damaged by careful, delicate use of the oxyacetylene rig is in our way, it'll be relatively easy to patch that one. If something (like wiring, or a fuel or brake line, etc.) is in the way, it'll be a "make it move" scenario. The windshield is also cracked. Looks like some little ***** decided it'd be fun tho shoot it with a pellet gun. Exactly what the chips remind me of... Little creeps... Dad's got an '02 Dakota. That, my Cavalier, my ex's Tercel (in '08), then dad's Dakota and my Cavalier again (this year) have all had the snot keyed out of them. This one was already vandalized before we bought it... I told dad... If those little punks come back for more, they better hope I don't check when the security light clicks on... If I do, they'll find out what it's like to be chased around someone's yard by a Dodge truck.

3:
PO took an old radio/cassete out of a Honda. It is NOT fastened inside the dash, and is kept from falling into the dash by a piece of wood mounted to it. When I can afford some good camera batteries, I'll post pictures...
Rear speakers are either disconnected, shorted, blown, something or other...
No problem. I have an old Pioneer cd deck from my Cavalier, and when I have the money for better speakers, I have a (when bought new) $300 audio system that I could easily install. I will make them mount to the dash, even if I have to get some sheet metal and the tin tools and MAKE mounts for them. At the moment, I a mixed set of 30 yr old speakers from an older Dodge (IIRC) truck, and an old Buick. Beautiful sound...

4:
The wiring seems... a bit ghetto-rigged. If the photos of the resistor pack for the blower fan registered correctly with me... Then the resistor pack seems to be missing from the engine bay. However, the blower still works. The lower dash panel is laying in the back seat. The buzzer is disabled. There is a push/pull toggle switch on the left side of the dash that I have absolutely no idea what it does or where the wiring runs to.
I have one backup light out, and the license plate light lenses obviously bit it at some point... since they were replaced with plastic duct-taped into place.

5:
Various little quirks and oddities.
A. Battery terminals are loose, PO explained that one to us.
B. Engine off, the turn signals blink at maybe 1/4 of normal speed.
C. Alignment seems to be just a tad bit off.
D. A good oddity... PO hauled a lot of firewood with it, put a set of VERY heavy eye bolts, perfect to slap a ratchet strap on and secure cargo. It will likely haul its first load with me in two days.

All in all, I love it.

I've just got a bunch of stuff twirling around my head, trying to figure out what the hell the PO did with the wiring, etc.

Any advice?

(Sorry for the rambling. Couldn't sleep, approaching 24 hours straight with no sleep.)

EDIT:
Thought of one I forgot.
The "maintenance required" light is on any time the truck is running.

...About to make a 60 mile round trip in two increments, one here soon, one about five this evening...
I do hope that all goes well.

 

The FAQ page at the top of the section would be a good thing for you to read! It also includes a link to download the '95 FSM which is close enough to your '92 that it should help you a lot. It has wiring diagrams that could help you out with the wiring issue. Here is a quick copy/paste from that page about the fuel gauge issue...

 

So, I finally had the time to read through that '95 service manual.
Details the pinout for the fuel gauge. Only problem is, my '92 doesn't have that many pins.
I'm assuming other things like the cigarette lighter are the same, but the fuel gauge doesn't seem to be. Oy...

 

my push pull toggle on the left is for my head lights
...as for those punks do you happen to own a shotgun...
the gauge probably wont ever work untill you repace the sending unit but the low fuel light might when it gets down to 3 or 4 gallons anyway and thats all i need
i pulled my buzzer box if youwant it pm me and ill send it out to you if you want one that bad
my check engine light came on when my down stream o2 sensor broke off at the base autozone will check that out for you for free

 

The push/pull toggle of which I speak isn't the headlight switch. It's down below that, no clue what the world it was placed there for. Gonna have to trace the wiring I guess.

I'll be procuring a few firearms as soon as the cash is available...
Especially since my truck was keyed a couple days back.
Right by my house. Motion activated floodlight and all. They walked right up to it and keyed it to hell. This is the fifth hit in three years. It's about time for it to end.
If I can catch 'em in the act (I'll be watching) they'll find out how fun it is to be held by an armed individual and ordered to call and report yourself to the cops.

 

lol thats priceless out where i live in texas they would never be seen again if they got cought...
take a pick of the toggle and post it here use http://www.servimg.com/upload.php?si...6becebda621789 to host it it will be the last hosting link in your choices and use the insert image icon copy paste ta-da

 

Are you sure your issue with the clutch doesn't have something to do with lack of experience? I've had two Dakota's with a MT, and neither of them had very touchy clutches at all. Heavy, but nothing compared to something like a Z4 or Evo.

 

I've been driving a manual transmission vehicle since 2006 when I got my learner's permit.
Out of the four MT vehicles I've driven, none of them had a clutch this grabby. Very short engagement range, and it bites hard.

Though I can say this much... My friend's '08 VW Rabbit that I drove once... Those clutches are a royal pain. You have to allow just the slightest hesitation on launch as it bites, or it'll bite like a gator jaw, and *CLUNK!* stall. After that it's effortless. Rev matching with a DBW throttle is a bit challenging as well. Eh, no biggie.

About the vandals:
Here in Ohio, people tend to be pansies. Plain and simple, I want these kids in jail. If I go out there and get my hands on 'em, that's where they'll be going. If they're packing anything and they pull it on me, they'll be leaving via body bag. I will not tolerate this kind of crap from some punk kid who thinks he owns the world.

If I find out it's somebody I actually know doing that, lemme put it this way.
I have a baseball bat, and they have knees...

I'm very tempted to just power down the security light, and string some 220 volt electric fence at two foot intervals from the ground, all around my truck. I'll bet you they'd be reeeeeally sorry they ever walked onto this property. I'm sure I'd have advanced warning, be able to grab my weaponry and walk out there when the screaming started.

 

The vandals aren't worth the jail time. Get them on camera and post a no trespassing sign. BTW I'm in Ohio too. 6 dogs of various breed and size in my home make a great proximity alarm. I also keep a video cam at both ends of my house to record any unscheduled/uninvited guests.

 

a word of advise on the bat, just don't hit them when their down. the cops told me if someone attempts an attack towards you or your property you can(don't quote me on this), but just till they fall. after that its agrivated assualt or assualt with a deadly weapon. it might be different by you, unless you know some law enforcement buddies.